Process of rendering cement blocks waterproof.



UNITED STATES PATENT orrron I JOHN M. RAUHOFF, or TINLEY'PARK, ILLINOIS.

PROCESS OF RENDERING CEMENT. BLOCKS WATERPRO OF.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed September 20. 1906. Serial No 279,242.

To all whom/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. RAUHOFF, a-

citizen of the United States, residing at Tinley Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illi- 5 nois, have invented a certain new and'useful Improvement in Processes of Renderingl having as its basic element finely pulverized or ground metal of a nature that w1ll corrode or rust when exposed to the atmosphere after the application thereof to the exterior of the cement blocks, and to improve cement blocks by rendering them waterproof through the application of the compound.

The lnvention consists in the process and 1n the new article of manufacture hereinafter \descrrbed, and pointed out in the claims.

The. preserving compound has as its basic element finely ulverized or powdered metal that has the characteristic of corroding or rustmg when exposed to the atmos here, and the metal can be iron, brass, or other analogous metal that will corrode Or'rustunder exposure to the atmosphere. It is" preferred to IIllX the finely pulverized or powdered metal with water, so as to form a liquid com-- pound that can be applied. by means of a brush or other suitable means over the exte-I nor of the cement blocks; but the finely pulverized or powdered metal can be applied in a dry state and thoroughly rubbed into and over the exterior face of the block, after which water can be applied by means of a brush or 0th61'W1SQ, S0 as to form, in effect, a liquid compound which will enter and fill the ores of the block when the metal is chan e to the condition of corrosion or rust by t e atmosphere, and this whether the metal in its finely pulverized or powdered condition is first made into a compound by the addition of water or applied in a dry state and fixed by the apphcation of Water. While water is 'the preferred medium for makin the compound, other liquids could be used for the purpose so long as such liquids would act to furnish a compound that would cause the pulverized or powdered metal to impregnate the pores of the cement block and when corroded or rusted fill the pores and renderthe block impervious to moisture.

The pores of the cement block are completely filled by the corrosion or rust of the finely pulverized or powdered metal by reason of the expanding of the metal from the efiects of the oxygen on exposure in the atmosphere, and this expanding of the metal in corroding or turning to rust effectually fills and closes the pores of the cement block, so that water or moisture cannot enter and the block will be made moisture or waterproof.

The effect oftthe corroding or turning into rust of the .finely pulverized or powdered metal is to give additional stren th and tenacity to the block by reason of t e filling of the pores, so that in addition to rendering the cement block water and moisture proof the strength and rigidity of the cement block is increased. I I

While the processand compound is especially adapted for use in rendering porous blocks impervious to water and moisture,

whether said blocks are formed of cement or other material, it is to be understood that the compound and the process of applying the same is adapted for use and can be used for rendering wood and other porous material water and moisture proof, the'application of the finely pulverized or powdered iron to Wood and other fibrous and porous materials being the same as described for the application to cement blocks. While it is preferred to use water after applying the basic element of finely pulverized or powdered iron to the blocks or other object or material, the iron after its application when subjected to the effects. of the atmosphere, and particularly a moist atmosphere, will corrode or. rust and form a coating'or covering within and on the exterior face of the block or other object by which the rendering of the block or object im ervious to water ,or moisture is 'successe y and the term lock it is intended to include any cement workysuch as sidewalks, floors, and other work employing cement.

What I claim'as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The process of rendering cement waterractically, attained; and under proof, which consists in supplying to the surface of the substance metallic iron in the surface of a previously-formed block of ceform of a fine dust held in suspension in a liqment metallic iron in the form of a fine dust uid as water and afterward allowing the held in suspension in a liquid as water and moist particles of iron to oxidize and expand 5 afterward allowing the moist particles of and fill the pores in the surface of the sub- I 5 iron to oxidize and expand and fill the pores stance, substantially as described.

in the surface of the cement, substantially as JOHN M. RAUHOFF. described. Witnesses 2. The process of rendering a substance OSCAR W. BOND,

1o waterproof, which consists in applying to the WALKER BANNING. 

